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RMCA Rat Standards

Rat Decoder Ring
Rat Decoder Ring


Table of Contents

The rat should be of good size; females should be long and racy type; males should be of larger build, arched over the loin, muscular, well-toned, with long head, but not too pointed at the nose. The eyes should be large, round, clean, and full of life. The ears should be of good size, round, well formed, and widely spaced. The tail should be cylindrical, as long as the body, thick at the base, tapering to a fine point. The ears, feet, and tail should be covered with fine hair. The coat should be smooth and glossy (except Rex and Hairless). Males have a longer and coarser coat than females.


Scoring will be as follows:

Color, Marking, and Variety50 points
Temperament15 points
Type5 points
Condition 5 points
Head5 points
Eyes5 points
Ears5 points
Tail5 points
Size5 points
TOTAL 100 POSSIBLE POINTS

The RMCA currently recognizes four "Varieties," which are separated into six "Sections."

The Varieties are: STANDARD, REX, HAIRLESS, and TAILLESS.

The Sections are: SELF, TICKED, SHADED, SILVERED, MARKED, and ODD-EYE.

Unstandardized Animals

Any color, marking, or variety not currently recognized by RMCA, or any other new feature, is considered "unstandardized." Unstandardized animals are not eligible to compete for Best Section, Best Variety, or Best in Show.



What are the standards for the "standard" coat?
The General Conformation describes Standard rats. The coat should be smooth and glossy, and should be thick, not sparse.

What's the difference between a fault, an elimination, and a disqualification?
A fault just means that points are deducted. An elimination means that the animal cannot compete in the show that day. Basically, if you read the eliminations section, anything there can be fixed. A nursing mother will not be nursing at the next show, a tumor can be removed, an abcess can heal, etc. A disqualification means that the animal has something permanently wrong that will keep it from competing in the color classes forever. For example, a Self rat that has a white spot on its body, or a Siamese that has white feet, or any rat with a missing toe, a ripped ear, etc.